


Beneath the Endless Sky

by Valgus



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Drabble, Drama, M/M, Shounen-ai
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-19
Updated: 2015-11-19
Packaged: 2018-05-02 10:11:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5244449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Valgus/pseuds/Valgus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tachibana Makoto came to Haru's life just to leave again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Beneath the Endless Sky

**Author's Note:**

> Largely inspired by "Bokura ga Ita", especially the movie. The title also came from the first dialogue of "Bokura ga Ita: Part I" (2012).

Tachibana Makoto came when the Haru’s first semester in high school almost came to an end. It was an odd time to change school, Haru thought as he threw his gaze to the window, not really caring about the new student.

The first thing Haru’s classmates picked up from Tachibana Makoto was his girly name, much like Haru’s. As Makoto seated next to Haru by the corner of the class, the noisy boys of the class pointed at Haru, the other student who also has feminine name like Makoto.

Tachibana Makoto smiled at Haru, his already squinty eyes were squinting even more.

For the first time in his life, Haru thought there was a sight more beautiful than that waterfall he saw when he was eight.

Haru had always been a lone wolf as long as he could remember. Unlike him, the new student Tachibana Makoto was very much sosial. He seemed to always have a group of people around him, whether it was Haru’s classmates or even the seniors. 

Since Makoto was seated next to Haru, Haru knew almost everything about Makoto, including the fact that he always disappeared at lunch. Two weeks after Makoto moved to Haru’s school, Haru discovered that Makoto always spent the lunch time by the rooftop.

It was a windy day and autumn seemed to be just right around the corner. Haru wanted to enjoy the last bits of spring before it vanished completely as he climbed the stairs to rooftop. Beneath the endless blue sky, probably the last clear blue sky before autumn finally comes, Makoto stood. His back was facing Haru and he didn’t seem to hear anyone coming. Haru walked as noisy as possible to let Makoto knew he was coming, since he didn’t really want to talk to anyone, especially the new student.

But Makoto didn’t budge.

Haru even already stood next to him, watching the taller boy staring at the sky, with an expression unlike Tachibana Makoto everyone knew; not the smiley, gentle Makoto, but the cold, sad Makoto. Makoto looked like he wanted to cry, so Haru called him.

“Tachibana.”

Makoto took a beat before looking at Haru. “Ah. Nanase.”

From up close, Makoto looked so much taller—and sadder under blue sky. Haru blinked, “Sorry, I just want to tell you that I’m going to have lunch here.”

Makoto just nodded, “Okay.”

Haru gestured to the bento he brought from home, “Aren’t you going to eat anything?”

Makoto just shook his head.

Haru opened his bento, “I made too many grilled mackerel. Do you want some?”

That day, Haru watched Tachibana Makoto gulped down Haru’s grilled mackerel like it was the best meal in the world. That was also day when Haru learned that Makoto moved because he was following his father to this small town. His parents were divorced and his mother, along with his two younger twin siblings, lived on the other side of Japan. His father was struggling for their new life there, so Makoto tried to save every yen by skipping breakfast and lunch, since Makoto and his father would at least have dinner together.

The next day, Haru always grilled too many mackerels, even for feeding three people. He insisted that Makoto bring the rest of the grilled mackerel home. The smile Makoto gave Haru that day was priceless.

Before Haru knew it, they were already best friends like they knew each other since they were small. Haru walked Makoto to his supposedly secret part time job on the convenience store by the gas station and picked Makoto up when he was done. They did their homework together and Makoto often spend times on Haru’s place—since Haru lived alone—because his father always went home very late.

Until one day, sometime before the end of Haru’s fourth semester in high school, Makoto had to move. His father apparently found good job in the big town, more than an hour away by train from the small town where Haru lived. Haru said, “That’s very nice, Makoto” when he heard the news, because he knew that it means Makoto doesn’t have to skip meal anymore.

Makoto only nodded and smile, apparently delighted that his father could go home early from now on. Haru was halfway thinking whether he could do a secret part time job as well so he has extra money for train to visit Makoto when Makoto touched Haru’s hand.

Haru looked at Makoto’s fingers upon his and looked up to find Makoto’s smile. Makoto’s fingers were long and warm and Haru wanted to touch Makoto as well rather than just be touched.

“I’m very happy to meet you, Haru-chan. Thank you.”

Haru didn’t like hearing that. It was like Makoto was saying goodbye forever. “Makoto, we’re still going to be friends, right?” scowled Haru.

Makoto smiled and nodded—before vanishing on a late night train. The end of term test was over and Makoto’s father moved first while waiting for Makoto’s test. Haru was the only one who walked Makoto to the platform, as if Haru was the only person in that small town who really cared that Makoto was ever there and ever exist in Haru’s high school.

The train door was closing. Makoto put his hands by the door’s glass window and Haru raised his hands to meet Makoto’s hand. But then train moved, so Haru started to walk, trot, and then run as he gazed at Makoto’s face through blurry vision caused by tears.

When the platform ended, Haru had to stop walking. He wailed to the train, “Makoto!” and watched it disappeared like it was running away from Haru.

Haru panted, brushed the tears from his eyes, and walked home in angry, quick steps. He would find that part time job soon so he could visit Makoto. He was now only seventeen and still powerless, but one day, one day he would definitely go to see Makoto again and make Makoto eat all the mackerel he deserved in the world. 

After all, they would definitely meet again, right?


End file.
